No. 17 Baylor has performed 4 ranked groups in its first six video games of the season, balancing their pre-Large 12 Convention schedule between ranked opponents and opponents from non-power conferences.
After beating then-No. 22 St. John’s 99-98 in double extra time, adopted by a 77-62 loss to then-No. 11 Tennessee within the ultimate of the Baha Mar Hoops championship in Nassau, Bahamas, final Friday, Baylor (4-2) will face New Orleans on Wednesday afternoon in Waco, Texas.
Bears coach Scott Drew mentioned the early season losses present worthwhile expertise.
“What you danger is you possibly can lose confidence for those who lose some video games,” Drew mentioned of the gauntlet of ranked opponents. “However for those who keep collectively you acquire an awesome workforce as a result of diamonds are fashioned beneath strain and we have to know what we’ll get and what to anticipate from guys in these conditions.”
Drew already has realized lots about how his workforce responds to adversity. Within the season opener, Baylor went on the highway to face then-No. 6 Gonzaga, fell behind by 19 at halftime and could not get again within the sport, shedding 101-63.
The Bears bounced again to beat then-No. 16 Arkansas 72-67 in Dallas earlier than successful handily in dwelling video games in opposition to Sam Houston and Tarleton State.
They fell behind St. John’s by as many as 18 factors within the first half and did not take their first lead till lower than three minutes remained in regulation. Although the Bears got here up brief in opposition to Tennessee, they fought again from a 28-point first-half deficit and outscored the Volunteers 42-30 within the second half.
“We’re making strides,” mentioned Drew, whose workforce has one other notable pre-conference sport developing when it visits two-time defending nationwide champion UConn on Dec. 4.
Baylor has 5 scorers averaging in double figures, led by ahead Norchad Omier, a Miami switch who’s averaging a double-double (16.5 factors and 10.0 rebounds), and guard VJ Edgecombe, who’s averaging 12.5 factors. Duke switch guard Jeremy Roach chips in 12.7 factors per sport.
For New Orleans (2-4) of the Southland Convention, guard James White’s 31 factors drove the Privateers to a 93-87 extra time victory at crosstown rival Tulane final Friday.
New Orleans led 39-27 at halftime and nonetheless held a 12-point lead with 1:35 left within the second half, however Vincent Jamond fouled the Inexperienced Wave’s Kaleb Banks on a 3-point try with 0.9 seconds left in regulation. Banks made all three free throws to pressure extra time.
In extra time, the Privateers completed with a 14-8 scoring edge to win.
“We needed to get by a bit adversity there,” first-year head coach Stacy Hollowell mentioned. “We needed to refocus in extra time and do what we do. We’ll proceed to construct. We acquired the job actual late (April 25) and put the workforce collectively in two weeks. Hopefully this propels us in the appropriate course.”
New Orleans shot a season-best 50 p.c from the ground and White, a switch from UAB, scored eight in extra time.
“Clearly, it was tough going to extra time,” White mentioned, “however we caught it out as a bunch and got here collectively.”
–Area Stage Media